2006 Subaru IMPREZA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
56 owner complaints analyzed
10 distinct recall campaigns
61,728 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2006 model year. Data snapshot: . 34 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 18 of 56 complaints (32.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 9 | 16.1% |
| Transmission and shifting | 4 | 7.1% |
| Engine operation | 2 | 3.6% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 1.8% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 1.8% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 1.8% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 18 |
| Engine | 5 |
| Power Train | 5 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 4 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 4 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 3 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 3 |
Air Bags: 18; Engine: 5; Power Train: 5; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 4; Fuel/Propulsion System: 4; Engine And Engine Cooling: 3; Fuel System, Gasoline: 3; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 3
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 9 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 6 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 9 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 3 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 5 |
| 150,000 and above | 2 |
Under 25,000: 9; 25,000 to 49,999: 6; 50,000 to 74,999: 9; 75,000 to 99,999: 3; 100,000 to 149,999: 5; 150,000 and above: 2
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (9). 22 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 5 |
| 2007 | 6 |
| 2008 | 3 |
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 5 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 8 |
| 2017 | 6 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 2 |
2006: 5; 2007: 6; 2008: 3; 2009: 2; 2010: 2; 2011: 2; 2012: 2; 2013: 1; 2014: 5; 2015: 4; 2016: 8; 2017: 6; 2018: 3; 2019: 1; 2020: 2; 2022: 1; 2024: 1; 2025: 2
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 9 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 4 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 2 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10149444 · 2006-02-04 (February 4, 2006)
2006 MY SUBARU IMPREZA STI WITH 414 MILES AND 1.5 WEEKS OLD THE ENGINE MOTORS MOUNTS FAILED, THIS CAUSED A LOUD CLUNKING AS THE ENGINE WOULD MOVE VIOLENTLY WHEN BRAKING AND ACCELERATING. WERE TOLD THAT THE MOTOR MOUNT WOULD BE REPLACED WITH THE 2005 MY MOTOR MOUNTS WHEN AVAILABLE AND WE SHOULD TAKE THE CAR HOME AND DRIVE CAREFUL. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 414 miles reported. Look up ODI 10149444 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10179202 · 2007-01-19 (January 19, 2007)
2006 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX STI, EQUIPPED WITH FACTORY BREMBO BRAKES. DRIVING IN RAIN ON HIGHWAY W/O USING THE BRAKES (NO BRAKING) FOR ABOUT 15-20 MINUTES WILL RESULT IN A DELAY OF 3-4 SECONDS BEFORE ACTUAL BRAKE EFFECTS START TO FEEL. RUNNING WITH NO BRAKES LITERARY IS A SCARY FEELING. CONTACTED DEALER BUT THEY HAVEN'T RAISED ANY CONCERNS. WHAT SHOULD I DO?*JB
Owner-reported narrative. 30,160 miles reported. Look up ODI 10179202 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10166072 · 2006-08-21 (August 21, 2006)
I BOUGHT MY SUBARU IMPREZA WRX STI BRAND NEW, AND AFTER HAVING IT ABOUT 4 MONTHS A TRANSMISSION MOUNT CALLED THE PITCH ROD MOUNT BROKE IN HALF. THE MOUNT BROKE UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, AND RESULTED IN DAMAGING THE CLUTCH LINE. THE FLUID IN THE CLUTCH LINE WAS DRAINED AND THIS RESULTED IN MY GEARS SCRATCHING AND OVERALL RUINED MY TRANSMISSION. IN THE END I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND HAD TO REPLACE THE MOUNT, CLUTCH LINE AND THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE RE-BUILT. NOW I WAS NOT AWARE AT THE TIME THAT THE MOUNT WAS BROKEN SO TO MY SURPRISE…
Owner-reported narrative. 7,750 miles reported. Look up ODI 10166072 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10210683 · 2007-12-03 (December 3, 2007)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU IMPREZA. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, COASTING, AND SHIFTING GEARS, THE VEHICLE LOSES ALL WHEEL DRIVE POWER. THE FAILURE CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL. THE FAILURE WAS MORE APPARENT AT HIGH ALTITUDES AND ON ICY ROADS. WHILE DRIVING DOWNHILL, THE VEHICLE JERKS BEFORE IT SHIFTS INTO NEUTRAL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. HOWEVER, THEY REPROGRAMMED THE ECM. A LOCAL MECHANIC STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S TORQUE CONVERTER AND TRANSMISSION WERE WOR…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10210683 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10232608 · 2008-06-28 (June 28, 2008)
WHILE DRIVING MY 2006 SUBARU WRX STI THE ENGINE SUDDENLY SEIZED UP ON THE HIGHWAY. THERE WAS A LOSS OF POWER TO EVERYTHING INCLUDING THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. I HAD TO PERFORM EMERGENCY MANEUVERS AND STEER INTO THE EMERGENCY LANE ON THE HIGHWAY. I HAD THE CAR TAKEN TO SUBARU, THEY REFUSED TO HONOR THE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY ON IT AND WANTED $1500 TO EVEN LOOK AT IT. I THINK TOOK THE CAR INTO A PRIVATE MECHANICAL SHOP AND THEY FOUND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM, THE OIL PICK UP LINE CRACKED IN HALF. THE MOTOR STARTED TO SUCK IN AIR INSTEAD OF OIL…
Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10232608 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10574880 · 2014-03-26 (March 26, 2014)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE ENGINE AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION COIL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE IGNITION COIL WAS REPLACED TWICE BECAUSE THE FAILURE RECURRED AFTER THE FIRST REPLACEMENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. UPDATE…
Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10574880 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11244924 · 2019-08-19 (August 19, 2019)
POSSIBLY RELATED TO TAKATA RECALL AFTER LOCAL DEALER SERVICED THE RECALL, THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. DEALER HAS SAID IT IS FAULT CODE 26, WHICH IS RELATED TO A FAILURE OF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG INDICATOR. THIS PROBLEM IS PERVASIVE AND WIDE SPREAD, A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH WILL GARNISH TENS AND POSSIBLY HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE CITING THIS FAILURE. ON TOP OF SUBARU NOT BEING FORTHCOMING WITH THIS INFORMATION, THE DEALER HAS ONLY MADE PROBLEM WORSE IN THEIR ATTEMPT TO FIX WHAT SHOULD BE A SIMPLE WIRING ISSUE THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO FIX ON THEIR OWN. …
Owner-reported narrative. 112,325 miles reported. Look up ODI 11244924 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10290086 · 2009-10-28 (October 28, 2009)
ROLL OVER VALVES CRACK. VALVES INSIDE THE GAS TANK THAT PREVENT GAS FROM LEAKING OUT IN THE EVENT OF A ROLL OVER ACCIDENT ARE DEFECTIVE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 64,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10290086 at NHTSA ↗